Would you camp-out for a preschool spot?

[borinquen57]

DD is (hopefully) headed for preschool next year, and we'd prefer that she go to a full-day one. CPS will start accepting applications for tuition-based (full-day) in early October. I called our first choice and they not only have a waiting list, but they start putting kids on it when they're a month-old (the hell?!). I call our second choice and they clearly said that parents line up extremely early. Her exact words: "If you're here by 11 the night before, you'll have company." These are both public schools, and while I'm annoyed, I'm wondering if this is just the way it is if you want your kid in a good preschool. Should we get our sleeping bags and hot cocoa ready? WWYD?

[heyjude]

Do you get into the K if you go to their preschool? Of so, yes!

If not, depends on if there are no other viable options. If not, then again, yes!

[kimibrighteyes]

We did this for DD. DH camped out the night before at 8pm. He was not the first one there. It was not even a full day preschool - only 3 half days a week. Now that we are alumni, we don't have to do this for the twins

[borinquen57]

heyjude, no, there are no guarantees for K. One of the schools is a magnet, and the other has a classical program/neighborhood school. We're out of the neighborhood, so DD would have to get into the lottery for the magnet and test into the classical one. That's another stress for another day.   The other option would be half-day preschool at our neighborhood school, which is ok, not great like the other two but not bad either. That's our other plan if we can't get her into a tuition-based program; send her to our neighborhood school, save the $24K for two years of preschool, and focus on getting her ready to test for a selective enrollment school. 

[borinquen57]

Sept 13, 2014 17:34:36 GMT -5 kimibrighteyes said:

We did this for DD. DH camped out the night before at 8pm. He was not the first one there. It was not even a full day preschool - only 3 half days a week. Now that we are alumni, we don't have to do this for the twins

Wow, so this isn't just us. I don't think siblings get extra consideration unless one child is currently in the program or in the higher grades. 

[redwino]

No. I don't see a lot of difference in the curriculum and overall environment of the schools around here to believe camping out would be worth it. At least not at the preschool level.

[hopecounts]

Pretty standard to have to camp out for a spot back home for a PreK spot.

[Deleted]

Absolutely. I play to win and do not lose.

[Deleted]

I might for prek if it meant getting my child into the school I want them to be in for kindergarten and beyond, provided that's what it meant. I wouldn't do it for preschool and certain not if it didn't garner her a permanent spot or some kind of in going forward.

[hopecounts]

Sept 13, 2014 18:25:10 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

This is like Black Friday for schools? Asinine.

Back home PreK is not universal so there are a VERY limited number of spots. 
The district chose to address this by having a First come First Serve arrangement, you are only able to do it at the school your child is zoned for so competition is fierce.
People want their kids in so they start showing up at the various schools at around 10/11 on the night before they can register to hopefully be one of the ones to get a spot for their kid.
You also have to have all your paperwork in order or you have to leave the line and loose your spot. 

[borinquen57]

Sept 13, 2014 18:02:20 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Pretty standard to have to camp out for a spot back home for a PreK spot.

I feel very naive because I had zero clue it worked like this for public. 

[kmpls]

This is bullshit. I am glad I live in a city with lots of great options where I don't need to do this. And public schools? Unacceptable.

[hopecounts]

Sept 13, 2014 18:42:05 GMT -5 kmpls said:

This is bullshit. I am glad I live in a city with lots of great options where I don't need to do this. And public schools? Unacceptable.

Until the public is willing to fund public Pre-K what are the options? 
They tried a lottery but parents complained that it wasn't transparent, so and so got a spot because they know Mr. X, or whatever. as sucky as this is it protects the school system because it is black and white they anounce how many spots they have funding for prior to sign ups, you are either above or below that number. 

[kmpls]

Sept 13, 2014 18:47:27 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Sept 13, 2014 18:42:05 GMT -5 kmpls said:

This is bullshit. I am glad I live in a city with lots of great options where I don't need to do this. And public schools? Unacceptable.

Until the public is willing to fund public Pre-K what are the options? 
They tried a lottery but parents complained that it wasn't transparent, so and so got a spot because they know Mr. X, or whatever. as sucky as this is it protects the school system because it is black and white they anounce how many spots they have funding for prior to sign ups, you are either above or below that number. 

Is this free pre k? Aren't there programs you can pay for?

this is mind boggling to me. We don't have free public pre k. We pay for it whether it's public or private and we have loads of amazing options. No lines or waiting lists.

[hopecounts]

Sept 13, 2014 18:52:42 GMT -5 kmpls said:

Sept 13, 2014 18:47:27 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Until the public is willing to fund public Pre-K what are the options? 
They tried a lottery but parents complained that it wasn't transparent, so and so got a spot because they know Mr. X, or whatever. as sucky as this is it protects the school system because it is black and white they anounce how many spots they have funding for prior to sign ups, you are either above or below that number. 

Is this free pre k? Aren't there programs you can pay for?

this is mind boggling to me. We don't have free public pre k. We pay for it whether it's public or private and we have loads of amazing options. No lines or waiting lists.

The private options have significant wait lists, there just aren't enough options in town. 
This is a town that was pretty small for a very long time and a lot of services are still in that mindset despite the population boom, the other part is it's a military town so there is a LOT of transience which makes some of the providers hesitant to invest the capital to enlarge their buildings to add classes since there is always the threat of the base being closed and them being left with expensive reno bills and not enough kids to fill the new building. 

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2014 17:24:12 GMT -5 borinquen57 said:

DD is (hopefully) headed for preschool next year, and we'd prefer that she go to a full-day one. CPS will start accepting applications for tuition-based (full-day) in early October. I called our first choice and they not only have a waiting list, but they start putting kids on it when they're a month-old (the hell?!). I call our second choice and they clearly said that parents line up extremely early. Her exact words: "If you're here by 11 the night before, you'll have company." These are both public schools, and while I'm annoyed, I'm wondering if this is just the way it is if you want your kid in a good preschool. Should we get our sleeping bags and hot cocoa ready? WWYD?

I would get there at 8 at the latest.  11 was last year.

[KB]

Absolutely.

[stealthmom]

The right school at the right price- yes.

[bugandbibs]

I would, without question.

We don't have public pre-k here except for Head Start. Our first is strictly first come, first serve with complete paperwork and deposit check in hand. I was the second person in line.

[borinquen57]

Sept 13, 2014 18:52:42 GMT -5 kmpls said:

Sept 13, 2014 18:47:27 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Until the public is willing to fund public Pre-K what are the options? 
They tried a lottery but parents complained that it wasn't transparent, so and so got a spot because they know Mr. X, or whatever. as sucky as this is it protects the school system because it is black and white they anounce how many spots they have funding for prior to sign ups, you are either above or below that number. 

Is this free pre k? Aren't there programs you can pay for?

this is mind boggling to me. We don't have free public pre k. We pay for it whether it's public or private and we have loads of amazing options. No lines or waiting lists.

This is tuition-based for us.  When I used to teach 2nd grade, there was no craziness like this at the school where I worked for the preschool.  It was a half-day program, neighborhood school, and registration sometimes went into the first week because there were plenty of spots open.  This was also a CPS school, but it was just a neighborhood school with not-so-good scores.

ETA: We haven't looked too in depth into private schools with the exception of the Lutheran one I posted about a few weeks ago. I found out that they are very heavily religion-based, so that's a no-go for me. The other two that I've very loosely looked into previously are almost twice the tuition per year ($20K) and that's very steep for us.

Sept 13, 2014 18:52:42 GMT -5 kmpls said:

[mouse]

This might not be feasible for some of you, and I certainly don't think it's a replacement for public prek (which should be a universal goal IMO), but is there a co-op org near there? Might they be looking to expand since there's so much demand?

My son did a co-op preschool and we were part of a larger org/network. It meant a lot of effort as a board member (nonprofit and parent governed), but only 2-3x a month in the classroom. We had a trained teacher and few parent helpers a day with a "play-based" focus. I think it really sparked a love of learning in my son. For me, I learned a ton about taking a more hands-on approach with the schools (with my daughter I always wanted to be involved but felt like I didn't know how). The tuition was low (pretty much just covered expenses) and the school itself was in a church basement (but not affiliated with the church, strictly secular), we're not polished by any means, but that doesn't matter to the kids.

Again, might not be practical, but it might be a small solution in towns that really need something.

[teflepi]

This could become an issue here, I feel, if Brown wins and we get universal prek. Not enough seats. Grant funding is showing thry are prepping for this likelihood of fighting for slots.

But, for op, yes.

[overture]

$12k a year for preschool?

If I had that much money to spend on preschool, camping out wouldn't be the thing that stopped me.




I seriously just had to check whether I accidentally clicked on MM. Jesus, I feel like I live on a different planet.

[borinquen57]

Sept 13, 2014 20:20:46 GMT -5 overture said:

$12k a year for preschool?

If I had that much money to spend on preschool, camping out wouldn't be the thing that stopped me.




I seriously just had to check whether I accidentally clicked on MM. Jesus, I feel like I live on a different planet.

I wish it wasn't like this, and I do think it's very expensive because public education should be free or as close to it as possible.  I think knowing the school system here for elementary does make me more anxious because I know that unfortunately, not all schools are the same.  At least we do have the option of sending her to our 'hood school which is actually not too bad.  But yea, these are the options for public school in Chicago; live in a pretty good neighborhood w/ a decent school, get into the magnet lottery, or hope your kid tests into a selective enrollment school.   :^)

[laurenpetro]

I feel like a privileged asshole because not only would it never occur to me to even consider this as a thing to do, I've never even seen it as necessary.

We have no per-k here and you go to your local distracted kindy.

[KateAggie]

Sept 13, 2014 20:54:06 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

I feel like a privileged asshole because not only would it never occur to me to even consider this as a thing to do, I've never even seen it as necessary.

We have no per-k here and you go to your local distracted kindy.

No pre-K???  Do you have SAHPs in your town, or are they all at the asylum? 

[borinquen57]

Sept 13, 2014 21:03:09 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

Well you can always redshirt the child if they aren't accepted.

I don't know if you meant to be funny but I literally snorted.  LOL, no, I think redshirting is ridiculous and our CPS doesn't allow it.

[josieposy]

Well we're paying about 12k per kid right now for preschool/pre-k, so yeah I guess I would.

[stealthmom]

Fwiw a friend from college posted on fb last year about camping out for a pre school spot. He lives in the dc area. He was all "20 years ago I did this for concert tickets. Now I do it for presxhool."

Also- people here campout for the cheap summer camp programs so doing it for actual school doesn't phase me.

[wawa]

Sept 13, 2014 20:20:46 GMT -5 overture said:

$12k a year for preschool?

If I had that much money to spend on preschool, camping out wouldn't be the thing that stopped me.




I seriously just had to check whether I accidentally clicked on MM. Jesus, I feel like I live on a different planet.

Thats less than I pay for in home daycare.